‘Don’t blame sanctions,’ says Mugabe

By Staff Reporter

President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe listens as Prof. Alpha Oumar Konare, chairman of the Commission of the African Union, addresses attendees at the opening ceremony of the 10th Ordinary Session of the Assembly during the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Speaking at his belated birthday celebrations organised by the Civil Service Commission at a local hotel on Friday, the 90-year-old Zanu-PF leader told civil servants that government would honour its promise next month.

Mugabe said while sanctions had previously militated against efforts to improve government employees’ welfare, it cannot continue to be the reason for failure given the resources the country is endowed with.

“I will ensure that we don’t go back to the time of saying ah masanctions ndiwo ari kutitadzisa (sanctions are the reason why we are failing to pay civil servants),” said Mugabe.

“Maresources aripo (We have the resources), the gold sector for example, they are very easy to get money from unlike diamonds… With gold, we know the price of gold and must be sold to Fidelity.”

Civil servants were supposed to receive their February salaries backdated to January according to a pay deal they struck with government.

However, government has been shifting goal posts continuously.

Sanctions imposed on Mugabe’s government have been blamed by Zanu-PF as the reason for their failure to honour the promises they made in the run up to last year’s elections.

Zanu-PF has in the past blamed sanctions and its unity government partner, MDC, which was in charge of the Finance ministry, for failing to award civil servants salary increments.

But on Friday Mugabe said his government will re-organise the gold industry. He urged illegal gold dealers to get licensed and operate within the confines of the law.

He revealed that a lot of gold was being smuggled out of the country particularly to South Africa whose mineral resources he said were rapidly dwindling.

Mugabe also said government was mulling kicking out some gold mining companies to allow government to take over.